1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to supports, and more particularly to frames for holding the mouth of a bag open and properly oriented within a dishwasher and for drying subsequent to washing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Food service has long been understood to be vital for the survival of a civilization. Much effort has been put into the preparation, packaging and delivery of foods in healthy and sanitary way, to avoid the risk of illness or, in extreme cases, death.
As a result of the knowledge that has evolved regarding the growth and proliferation of microbes and parasites, many practices have evolved in the areas of food service and food preparation, and even a substantial amount of regulation has been promulgated. These practices and regulations are, of course, aimed at maintaining the health and vitality of all persons.
One of the foremost requirements that all kitchens and food service establishments must obey is the sanitary handling, preparation and storage of meat. This is because the possibility of contamination of the foods with such pathogens as salmonella, e-coli and other harmful bacteria, and the undesirable proliferation of such harmful bacteria with improper storage, can lead to severe sickness and death. Moreover, while with other types of foods the possibility exists for microbial contamination, the incidence of sickness and death is generally thought to be far higher with improperly handled meat.
In recognition of the importance of proper handling, a number of companies have introduced packaging which is designed for secure storage and protection of a food item, but which is manufactured inexpensively enough to be handled as a single use package. The benefit of a single use package is apparent, in that there is no risk of food contamination or cross-contamination. When a bag has been used, it may simply be disposed of. While other manufacturers have introduced various boxes and other packages for re-useable food service, these containers have not met with the same success, owing to the need to thoroughly clean such containers after the use with meats. Furthermore, the cost of the re-useable packaging has typically been extra-ordinarily high when compared to single used bags, and when a container is accidentally forgotten for an extended period, such as when a lunch box is left in a car trunk or the like, the re-useable container may be unsalvageable. So, while in theory the re-useable packaging may offer benefit and advantage over single use bags, this economy has not, in practice, been fully experienced. As is known then, the vast majority of foods are transported not in re-useable containers, but in single use bags. In the event a bag was left with food for an extended period, the bag could simply be disposed of.
Among the more environmentally or economically conscious consumers, there has been a practice in the past of washing these bags for re-use. In some instances, the decision whether to wash and re-use or to dispose has been made based upon what the bag contained. If, for example, the bag contained carrot sticks or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, the bag might be washed, dried and later re-used. If instead the bag had been used for a meat sandwich or other meat product, the bag would instead be disposed of. This need for continuing to dispose of the bag was motivated in part by the difficulty of reliably cleaning the bags. Many of the bags have features that are provided to ensure the bag is securely sealed, which will also ensure that there is no opportunity for cross-contamination between one type of food and another. Consequently, these features have been widely adopted by food bag manufacturers. Unfortunately, these features will also typically create small seams or folds that may be quite difficult to clean thoroughly. Similarly, many of these bags have very small corners which provide little access for thorough cleaning. Consequently, the effort required to thoroughly and reliably clean the bags has been generally thought to be far greater than the worth of the bag.
In apparent response to the limitations of the prior art, several artisans have attempted to design stands for bags that will facilitate the cleaning or re-use thereof. Exemplary of these are U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,792 to Convertino, U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,018 to Anthrop, Jr.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,050 to Galdon, the teachings of each which are incorporated herein by reference. Each of these patents illustrate the concept of holding a bag within a dishwasher for cleaning, though the structure that they use has not met with success for various reasons. One of the limitations of the prior art is the inability to adequately and reliably hold a bag through a standard dishwashing cycle. The bags will tend to be driven by the force of the water jets from the bag holder, and then the bags become entangled within the internal washing compartment or alternatively become entangled within the pump at the bottom of the dishwasher. In either case, the bag has not only not been cleaned, but it has also presented a nuisance which can disrupt the use and application of the entire dishwasher. Not only may this release of the bag result in the need to re-wash the bag, but in some instances the entire load. The resultant mayhem may disrupt the regular cycles and routines of the users of the dishwasher, such that other needed dishes are not washed when most desired. Consequently, the inconvenience and mess that may arise from inadequately restraining a bag may lead to sufficient discontent that the owner refuses to use such apparatus ever again.
Another problem encountered by the prior art is a lack of adequate flexibility to accommodate different types or sizes of bags. There is much dimensional variation between sandwich bags and gallon bags. When a prior art bag washer was used, it would have been either a one-size-fits-all approach, where one bag holder would be used for every size of bag from snack bag to gallon bag, or there would have been many parts or much complexity to accommodate these variations. One of the more difficult challenges has been the adequate maintenance of passage of water into the corners or extremes of a bag. The smaller regions must be kept sufficiently open for the wash water to pass therein, and yet must also be maintained in a generally upright position to allow the water to drain immediately back out. When the bag has too much of a corner unsupported, when the wash water travels in it has a tendency to collect and push the corner down in a “dog-eared” position, trapping the water within the corner and preventing the full cleaning and sanitation of the bag which is necessary for safe and reliable cleaning. Yet, the placement of a structure within the bag to support the corner may instead block the corner from the entry of wash water.
Consequently, a need exists to provide a better alternative to users of disposable bags.